Green computing has been defined as the study and practice of using computing resources efficiently. Typically, technological systems or computing products that incorporate green computing principles take into account economic viability, social responsibility and environmental impact. In particular, green computing includes efforts to obtain maximized energy and resource efficiency from the computer resources being used, and in one aspect to reduce associated waste and negative environmental impacts. Green computing may also be described as the science behind efficient computing and performing tasks on a smaller power budget.
All computer usage consumes energy and, depending on the energy source, such usage may also increase greenhouse gas emissions. Both the United States Government as well as the information technology industry have recognized the importance of efficient computing in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from energy or power consumption. Large government and commercial initiatives are underway to identify environmentally conscious information technology programs and the most efficient computers.
There are many factors which affect the energy consumption of computing resources. Such factors include those related to the computing task itself and a variety of external factors. For example, one factor which affects energy consumption related to the computing task includes the amount of time or computer cycles required to complete a computer task. Other factors which affect energy consumption include the time of day the computing task is performed, the geographic location in which the computing task is performed, network usage, heat generated by the computing device during the computational task, the amount of paper printed from a computational task, and other tasks scheduled to run concomitantly as the computing task.